Disclaimer: Ugh, disclaimers truly sicken me. I do not own Bones. There, I said it.
A/N: Just a oneshot, it'll only take a sec. Don't know where it came from. And I know Russ is off who-knows-where with Brennan's dad, but I always liked him, so in my (somewhat delusional?) mind, he's still around. Anyway, sorry if it sucks. Review either way though- all reviewers are automatically entered in a contest to win sexual favors from Booth! (You know if that was true, I'd enter myself a billion times…haha, not kidding!!!)
CH1
Brennan knelt to the ground and extended a latex gloved hand.
"Victim is male, 18 to 20 years of age, 5 foot 10 or 11, red hair, I'd say buried approximately…" she leaned down further to examine a dirty piece of bone. "four years. Two broken distal phalanges, fractured ulna, looks like defensive wounds. No healing, so death occurred immediately after the injuries were sustained."
Standing, she stripped off her gloves and looked at Booth.
"No head or chest trauma, so strangulation is most likely. Get it to the lab and we'll find out."
Booth turned to the CS investigators standing adjacent to the body.
"Alright, whenever you guys are done."
Booth and Brennan walked back to Booth's SUV. As he started the engine, he flashed a grin and asked casually,
"Hey, we're done pretty early today. You up for a beer?"
Brennan smiled a little nervously.
"Uh, yeah. I actually wanted to ask you…I'm meeting Russ for drinks later and I was going to see if you wanted to come."
Booth beamed at the invitation, but said,
"Bones, I don't wanna intrude on your time with your brother."
"You won't be. It's just a couple of beers, Booth. I already told him you might come."
"I don't know, Bones. Are you sure?"
Her blue eyes widened.
"It's really not a big deal, Booth. We're just trying to get to know each other's friends."
Booth couldn't resist a teasing grin.
"So I'm your friend now, eh?"
She crossed her arms, giving him 'the look'.
"You know, I could just ask Angela instead."
You could," he taunted, "but at least you can be reasonably sure I won't hit on Russ over martinis."
She quickly looked out the window to hide the smile that tugged at her lips.
CH2
They walked into the bar a little after seven, spotted Russ and made their way through the crowd to the bar. The place was packed, and several men turned on their barstools to eye Brennan hungrily as she hugged her brother.
Shaking Booth's hand, Russ looked around and growled,
"No wonder you're so protective of my sister, Agent Booth. These freaks are really pissing me off."
Booth's face lit up. Turning to Brennan, he thrust a finger in her face and exclaimed,
"Ha! I told you, Bones!"
She rolled her eyes and waved to the bartender, who smiled and passed a row of waiting patrons as he walked directly over.
"What can I get for you?" asked the middle aged man as he tried to be charming. Booth and Russ exchanged glances, and Brennan politely asked for three beers.
Receiving them almost immediately, she handed each man a brown bottle and downed several hearty sips from her own. The threesome sat on their stools, talking idly about little things for twenty or thirty minutes. Downing the last of her beer, Brennan stood, saying,
"I'll be back in a minute", then walked into the crowd toward the restrooms.
Taking advantage of the chance to speak to Booth alone, Russ peered over his sister's empty barstool and cocked a half smile.
"You know, I've asked Tempe, but I don't think she's telling the whole truth. Is what you two do dangerous?"
Booth gazed into his beer bottle, turning it absently.
"Most of the time, she's completely safe. We've had a couple of cases, though…Don't tell her I told you this, but once she got kidnapped, chained up and almost eaten by dogs."
Russ paled, looking sick to his stomach. Booth chuckled wryly.
"I know, I had to break out of the hospital to find her. Listen," He looked at Russ earnestly. "I gave up telling her to stay in the lab a long time ago. You know, Bones can be pretty stubborn. But we're partners, and she's put a lot of bad people away."
Russ stared at the bar, not seeming too comforted.
"She never told me she was kidnapped. Christ…" He ran a hand through his hair.
"Try not to worry about it. Bones can take care of herself, I've seen her kick some serious ass. And if she gets into something bad," His face turned deadly serious. "I won't hesitate to kill for her."
Russ stayed silent for a long moment, then suddenly turned and asked,
"Are you in love with her?"
Booth wheeled around, his countenance the epitome of shock. After several seconds of painful silence, Russ added with a faint shake of his head,
"I won't tell her."
Breathing for the first time in what seemed like forever, Booth murmured,
"Yeah, I guess I am."
He took a long swig of beer and stared up at Russ miserably.
"Which sucks for me cuz she's dating someone else."
Russ nodded slowly.
"Yeah, she told me about him. And since I've seen the way you are with my sister, I'm gonna tell you something that she told me." He smiled, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Don't tell her I said anything, but Tempe told me she was seeing someone, but that he didn't matter because she's going to break up with him." He nonchalantly sipped his beer. "Apparently, he was bad mouthing you."
Booth looked pissed, then suddenly his expression became hopeful.
"Russ, if you're lying to me," he warned. "I'll have your parole revoked." He was only half kidding.
Russ showed him an innocent smile.
"Scout's honor."
Booth tried not to get his hopes up.
"But I'm her partner. Of course she's not gonna let some little shit talk about me."
As if explaining a simple concept to a very dull child, Russ enunciated,
"Booth, you don't get it, she talks to you. She lets you help her when she's in trouble. She lets you call her 'Bones', for Christ's sake. She kicked me in the nuts once for calling her kiddo."
Booth finally released the blaring smile he'd been fighting.
"So you think she likes me?" His hulking chest swelled with pride.
Russ rolled his eyes Tempe-style.
"Look man, Tempe trusts you. She lets you touch her and doesn't snap your wrist. That's about as obvious as she gets, I hate to tell you."
For a little while, the two of them just sat at the bar, pensively drinking the last of their beers. When Russ spied Brennan coming back towards the bar, he leaned to Booth and asked,
"So are you going to say anything?"
Finishing the last gulp of beer, Booth nodded.
"Yeah, I think so. Yes."
Both men were grinning ridiculously at each other when Brennan finally took her seat back at the bar.
"Sorry guys, the line was really long." Noticing their stupid smiles, she inspected them suspiciously.
"What were you just talking about?"
Russ stood and set some cash on the bar.
"I think I'm gonna call it a night. Call you later, kiddo."
As he kissed her cheek, Brennan made a sour face and grumbled,
"Don't call me kiddo."
Sharing a fleeting grin with Booth, Russ told him,
"Watch out for my sister."
Booth gave a brief nod, then settled his gaze on Brennan and smiled.
"Count on it."
END